Mayonnaise: the continental divide

Written last night:

Dear Friends,

Yesterday I told you I’m lost without Hellmann’s mayonnaise. Who knew that life could be so different in California!?!

Several of you wrote to assure me that Best is simply Hellmann’s West. I said OK, but I still prefer Hellmann’s.

Then this morning I found a jar of Hellmann’s in the refrigerator, hiding in plain sight. I remembered that back when my mind was still cloudy (yesterday, maybe?) I had conducted a Hellmann’s search. Then I just put its absence down to Safeway “specialness.” I didn’t look farther, but eventually I did find this errant Hellmann’s jar somewhere. Target, maybe. So I bought it and forgot it. 

Anyway, today I tested the two — just for fun; you know the results are skewed because I’m prejudiced. Here’s what I found:

Hellmann’s has more tang. Best is more — to use your word, Susan — unctuous. Slippery. 

Hellmann’s is yellow-er. 

                       First I tried with little tomatoes, but their acidity overwhelmed the taste.

I switched to plain crackers.

Result: Hellmann’s has a brighter flavor. Best is more virtuous. There is a difference. 

Their labels (which were impossible to photograph because they are curved) have the same ingredients, but Best uses only organic, and cage-free eggs. Hellmann’s has something called calcium disodium EDTA (used to protect quality, they say). Every cook knows the eggs from different chickens might taste different. Also, the ingredients could be in slightly different proportions. A drop of lemon juice can make a difference. Also, since we’re delving into this way too deep — their jars look the same, but the lids aren’t interchangeable. 

You may continue to research here. Thanks to Susan (my Irish friend who notes that Mayo is also a county in Ireland) for the link!

Love,

k